FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT DAN WHELDON - PAGE 2

Dan Wheldon held off Helio Castroneves in a one-lap sprint to the finish to win the SunTrust Indy Challenge in Richmond, Va. Wheldon, who started 20th, led Vitor Meira and Castroneves coming out of a caution with a lap left and managed to outsprint Castroneves in the final turn, winning by 0.2038 seconds. - Marquette basketball coach Tom Crean issued a statement in response to rumors he is a candidate for the Ohio State opening. It said in part, "I have not made myself a candidate for another opportunity and am happy at Marquette."

You knew it was coming. Gov. Rod Blagojevich has proclaimed Sunday "Danica Patrick Day" in Illinois. Patrick, a Roscoe, Ill., native, finished fourth last week in the Indianapolis 500, the best finish in race history by a female driver. Patrick's performance, coupled with stellar TV ratings for ABC's race telecast, has made the 23-year-old an instant celebrity. She has made numerous TV appearances since the race, and her photo-- not that of winner Dan Wheldon--adorns the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Arturo Gatti (40-7, 31 KOs) stopped previously undefeated Danish welterweight Thomas Damgaard (37-1) in the 11th round in Atlantic City. The fight was halted at 2 minutes 54 seconds of the round. - The Oakland Athletics signed second baseman Mark Ellis to a two-year, $6 million contract. He hit a career-high .316 with a career-best 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. - Chip Ganassi Racing was in control as the 44th Rolex 24 sports car endurance race in Daytona Beach hit the halfway mark.

When it comes to endorsement power, Danica Patrick leaves other popular drivers in the dust. That according to the Davie-Brown Index (DBI), which determines celebrity influence on consumer buying behavior. The DBI uses a six-point scale to evaluate seven key attributes: appeal, notice, trendsetter, influence, trust, endorsement, and aspiration. In terms of appeal, Patrick not only rates higher than NASCAR drivers such Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip and Greg Biffle, and fellow IRL driver Dan Wheldon, but is more likeable than some powerful celebrity endorsers, including Michael Jordan and Kristi Yamaguchi.

The Indy Racing League has fined Andretti Green Racing, co-owned by Michael Andretti, an undisclosed amount for failing to require its drivers to participate in an autograph session Saturday at the Milwaukee Mile. The decision to boycott the session came straight from the top, according to Andretti Green Racing driver Dan Wheldon, who along with teammates Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta did not take part in the event after learning that Danica Patrick would once again have her own separate line for autograph seekers.

Four drivers can win the IndyCar Series title entering the season finale, Sunday's PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300. Appropriately, it is those four who will start at the front of the field at the Chicagoland Speedway. The pole went Saturday to Sam Hornish Jr., who trails his Marlboro Team Penske teammate Helio Castroneves by one in the championship points race. Castroneves qualified fourth, behind Target Chip Ganassi teammates Scott Dixon (second fastest on Saturday) and Dan Wheldon (third)

Jones: 'Pacman' in the past No more "Pacman"? That would be the preference of Adam Jones, the suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback who has been known by the nickname throughout his life. He'd like to make "Pacman" a thing of the past. "There's really just a lot of negativity behind it," Jones said. "It's just time for a change, man." Schumacher wins; Kalitta remembered A day after Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta was killed in a qualifying accident, Tony Schumacher raced to the Top Fuel win at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.

The Indy Racing League will take no punitive action for the on-track collision or the subsequent postrace confrontation between Dan Wheldon and Danica Patrick on Sunday at the Milwaukee Mile. Patrick, who started 17th in the 18-car field in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225, went low on the track in an attempt to pass Wheldon on the 88th lap. The cars touched, sending Patrick's car spinning into the infield grass. She straightened the car out, but the collision bent the suspension and forced a long pit stop for repairs.

Tony Kanaan held off protege Marco Andretti for the final 27 laps Sunday and won the Firestone Indy 400 in Brooklyn, Mich., a race marred by a spectacular seven-car wreck in which Indy 500 winner and IndyCar Series points leader Dario Franchitti took a wild, upside-down ride. Franchitti, who had finished all but one lap this season, had led most of the race and was trying to hold off Dan Wheldon on Lap 144 when the two touched wheels at about 218 m.p.h. Franchitti's car turned sideways and flipped over Wheldon's car high into the air, at one point with its nose pointing straight toward the ground.

Plastered on a billboard just north of Cincinnati are images of three IndyCar drivers with the slogan "Catch Her If You Can." But Danica Patrick, most prominently featured, has yet to win a race. What about Dan Wheldon, who won the Indianapolis 500, then saw Sports Illustrated put the fourth-place finisher on its cover? "The one thing I would disagree with the IRL about is the fact that they are pushing Danica solely," he said Sunday. "That's a big mistake. Do you hear about Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indy 500 champion?